Stats from the downtown Macon parking meters after 1 month

MACON, Ga. -- Bibb County parking meters have been in business for more than a month and we now know the statistics that come with them.

You have to pay for parking up to three hours at a time Monday-Saturday in downtown Macon. Sundays and holidays are the only times you can get a free pass.

This has been the law since July 13. Since that day, officials say residents have made more than 15,000 transactions combined through the parking meter system.

Here are more numbers (according to Benjamin Steffen with Lanier Parking):

Officials handed out brochures on-would be violators during the first 10 days, explaining that this would have been a parking citation and how to avoid a citation moving forward

600 warning citations issued during final week of July

About 700 violations since then

"We do understand that there could be some confusion for some people as it has been 35 years since meters have been in downtown Macon," Steffen said in an email. "Our goal is to help people understand how the new meters worked. This is why we spent the month of July educating in person and through the media along with a soft enforcement launch through our brochures and warnings. We are continuing to do what we can to educate the population as a whole. "

Steffen added they're working to upload an instructional video to the Park Macon-Bibb website explaining each of the three payment options. WGXA detailed this in July.

Steffen says any citation can be appealed in writing at their office on Cherry Street or online at parkmaconbibb.rmcpay.com.

"Our management team takes the time to review each appeal," he said. "And we are mindful that we are in the first 30 days of the program, so will try to work those who received their first parking citation."